Ph.D.
Evanston
847–989-1745
Drdi@drdianefisher.com | www.DrDianeFisher.com
Please visit her blog The Mindful Therapist
Psychotherapy, mindfulness-based psychotherapy, MBSR, adults and adolescents

Services

Describe your services:
Individual psychotherapy which combines an in-depth psychodynamic understanding with the use of mindfulness-based tools

How does your healing modality work?
On a number of levels – through a healing relationship (I use lots of humour and warmth), gaining insight and making connections about the self, and learning a mindfulness tool that gives balance and perspective on a daily basis and accelerates change.

How do you see your services evolving over the next three years?
My services have evolved over 25 years of practice, I see myself gradually beginning to teach more mindfulness based courses and integrate this more into my practice as people of all ages become more open to this approach.
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Benefits

What are the benefits/results people see?
Many people feel they have “tried everything” or “know what to do but just can’t do it.” These people begin to gain a feeling of more control and more hope. They experience less attachment to problematic feelings and thoughts that once felt like an integral part of them, an increased ability to exercise control, increased access to inner wisdom, a greater awareness of the physical body, hope and an increased feeling of self-efficacy in changing one’s life. There is also increased insight, control and compassion in one’s relationships

Why do people come to see you?
For an initial consultation to see if it is a good fit, and then for weekly or bi-weekly sessions for as long as the client decides. They may be open to learning mindfulness or may want to learn to apply it to their emotional well-being and personal development. They may come with a “diagnosis” of anxiety, depression, relationship issues etc., or they may come with more general midlife dissatisfaction, issues coping with an illness, sandwich generation issues etc.

Who is an ideal client?
Adults who are opening to looking at themselves and trying new angles to get unstuck in their lives, and “failure to thrive”, ADD, square peg-in-a-round hole teens. Creative, artistic souls; people who feel blocked; individuals who worry their therapist isn’t smart enough for them.

What makes you different/good at what you do?
I am able to make a broad range of adults and teens comfortable. I like people and I think I convey that warmth and humour quickly. I am able to be very gentle and intuitive and compassionate when needed, but I can also be quite challenging and stimulating with clients who feel they have “done it all”. I have 25 years of experience as a successful private practitioner and years of experience in working with a variety of issues. I also had amazingly good analytically-oriented training on the East Coast before moving to the Midwest.
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Philosophy/Approach

Describe your healing philosophy:
Our inner wisdom, our soul’s passion, our innate sense of fit are all available to us if we develop the ability to access them. A therapist is a partner in that journey.

Describe your style or approach:
As a fellow journeyman. Respectful of what the client is ready for, the level of confrontation and challenge that is helpful, and always ready with lots of humor and emotional connection to make the work more bearable.

Why do you do what you do?
I believed that the traditional psychotherapy model did not give an individual enough support in going back into the world and having any kind of success. When I discovered mindfulness practice, and started practicing it for myself, I became re-excited by the possibilities of using this cutting-edge work to jump-start and deepen the benefits of psychotherapy.
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Education/Background

Education/Training:
My PhD is from Loyola U of Chicago, and my doctoral internship was in Washington , DC at the National Institute for Mental Health where I stayed an studied with several psychoanalysts for several years. I also received MBSR training with John Kabat-Zinn at Omega Institute and am continuing to train in vipassana meditation and mindfulness based psychotherapy.

Years Professionally Practicing:
25

Contributions/Publications:
I have been quoted in a number of magazines and publications over the years, am cited in several books and have spoken at numerous conferences – the best list is on www.DrDianeFisher.com
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What to expect

Describe a typical session:
We meet and talk together on a “see what comes up” basis, with some meditation woven in when appropriate to develop skills and access the self on a deeper level. This is what I have found to be far more effective than goal-setting, problem-focus etc.

How long is a typical session?
50 min

Describe your office or treatment room:
In an old Victorian in Evanston with warm lighting and a fireplace and comfy throws and nice artwork.

How should someone prepare for a session?
With an open, brave, hopeful heart.
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Logistics

Office hours/days of the week:
Some evening and some daytime, also Sat am

Fee Range
My normal fee is $150/hour

Take Insurance?
Yes

Cancellation Policy?
24 hours
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Closing Comments

What else might someone want to know about you?
I am happy to offer a brief phone consultation – I think it is very important to pick a therapist who is a good fit for you.
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